FACT SHEET #4: SERVITUDE & FORCED LABOUR

This factsheet contains an overview of servitude and forced labour in Australia.

Servitude and forced labour are slavery-like practices. Engaging in conduct that causes someone to enter into or remain in servitude or forced labour is a criminal offence. Conducting a business involving servitude or forced labour is also criminal.

See: Division 270 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).

SERVITUDE

Servitude is when a person does not consider themselves to be free to stop working or to leave work, because of threats, coercion or deception; and the person is significantly deprived of their personal freedom in areas of their life outside of work (s 270.4 Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth)).

Coercion includes force, duress, detention, psychological oppression, abuse of power or taking advantage of a person’s vulnerability.

FORCED LABOUR

Forced labour is when a person does not consider themselves to be free to stop working or to leave work, because of threats, coercion or deception (s 270.6 Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth)).

In Australia, forced labour has been found in the agricultural, construction and hospitality industries as well as in domestic work.